Conference Highlights: All Things Almond Slated for The Almond Conference

The 2014 Almond Conference is your one-stop shop for all things almond. Along with marketing, almond quality and food safety, and technical and regulatory topics, plus the not-to-be-missed trade show, this year’s event will give growers a close-up look at some of the important production and environmental research being funded by the Almond Board. This research not only keeps the industry moving forward, but serves as a solid foundation for effective and efficient orchard practices. If you’re interested in attending the 2014 Almond Conference, be sure to pre-register.

Below is a preview of grower-specific symposia and workshops offered at The Almond Conference. The full agenda can be viewed on the Almond Conference website.

Drought or no drought, using water as efficiently as possible is wise financially and good stewardship of a limited resource. Are you accounting for crop coefficients, and irrigation system efficiency, and are you using CIMIS weather and evapotranspiration (ET) data to your advantage? Are you interested in using managed deficit irrigation for hull rot management? How does all of this relate to young trees? Attend this workshop to remind yourself of how best to use available information such as weather, soil moisture, tree demand measured by stem water potential and calculations to assess how much and when to irrigate your trees.

The second portion of this session looks at how precision ag technologies are evolving to improve irrigation and fertilization efficiencies. UC researchers will discuss key questions like these: Is there an alternative to stem water potential and pressure chambers to determine tree water status? How do we design irrigation systems that account for soil variability better? And how do we integrate these pieces into automated decision support systems that target irrigation and fertilization to optimize orchard productivity?

New management tactics and materials, shifting pest spectrums, and changes in pest resistance/tolerance and regulations keep growers and their PCAs busy trying to keep up. This session will provide an update on what is new in the areas of almond pest management, including weeds, insects and diseases, along with a greater focus on in-orchard pest sampling. Be sure to attend for the latest on orchard pests and how to use sampling to reduce costs, decrease environmental impact and manage pesticide resistance.

Drought Effects on Trees: 2014 and BeyondDec. 10, 2:00–3:00 p.m.

While we may have made it through this year’s drought, how did individual trees fare? This session looks at tree biology research and asks how trees make fruiting and vegetative decisions. How will this year’s lack of water impact trees, down to the spur level, and how will that impact next year’s bud set, tree growth, yield and future bearing? Given these effects and what we know about spur dynamics, UC researchers will advise on best irrigation and fertilization strategies for the 2015 growing season and beyond.

For more than 40 years, the Almond Board of California’s research programs have advanced yields, quality and environmental stewardship, contributing to the growth and success of the industry. Almond Board–funded researchers have helped identify areas of opportunity and success through all parts of the growing life cycle. Using a speed-dating format of six-minute updates, researchers will offer insight into a number of ongoing projects. Researchers will also be available at poster sessions following their presentations, giving conference attendees a chance to ask follow-up questions.

Bees, along with other pollinators, have consistently been in the media, particularly over the last two years. Are almond growers doing everything possible to ensure that almonds are a good and safe place for honey bees? This session will provide an overview of the research and issues affecting honey bee health, how ABC has been and continues to be engaged in this issue, and an introduction to updated Honey Bee Best Management Practices for California Almonds.

*Good news about almonds and heart health. Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of almonds (28g) has 13g of unsaturated fat and only 1g of saturated fat.